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Lie on your back on an incline bench set between 15 and 30 degrees, and hold a pair of dumbbells above your shoulders with your arms straight. Lower the dumbbells to the sides of your chest. Pause, and then push them back up. Do 10 reps and rest for 20 seconds. Decrease the weight of the dumbbells by 20 to 30 percent and perform 10 more reps.

Assume a pushup position with your hands on a bench. (The higher the bench, the easier the exercise.) Your body should form a straight line from ankles to head. Bend your elbows and lower your body until your chest nearly touches the bench. Then push up with enough force so your hands leave the bench. Land with your hands on the bench and repeat. Do 5 to 10 reps.

Hang at arm's length from a chinup bar using an overhand grip that's slightly beyond shoulder width. Squeeze your shoulder blades together and pull your chest to the bar. Pause, and then return to the starting position. Do 5 to 10 reps.

Secure a bar in a power rack at about waist height. Drape two towels over the middle of the bar so they're slightly beyond shoulder width. Grab the ends and hang from them with your knees bent, your feet flat on the floor, and your body straight from knees to head. Pull your chest toward the bar. Pause, and then slowly return to the starting position. Do 10 reps.

Hold a dumbbell in your right hand, place your left hand on a bench in front of you, and assume a staggered stance, left foot forward. Hold your elbow in as you row the wight to the side of your torso. Do 10 reps, switch arms and leg positions, and repeat the movement.

Grab a pair of dumbbells, bend your knees and lean forward so your torso is nearly parallel to the floor. Tuck your upper arms next to your sides, bend your elbows, and hold your forearms about parallel to the floor, palms facing up. Simultaneously extend your arms straight back and rotate the weight so your palms end up facing each other. Return to the starting position. Do 15 reps.

Standing with your feet shoulder-width apart, hold a pair of dumbbells at arm's length by your sides, palms facing each other. Without moving your upper arms, curl the weights to your shoulders, and then press them overhead until your arms are straight. Reverse the move to return to the starting position. Do 10 reps.

Wednesday, September 14, 2016

How to Prevent Leg Cramps

Leg cramps can occur in many different situations. Some people wake up with severe leg cramps; others get them while trying to go to sleep. Athletes sometimes experience leg cramps while working out or simply walking.

What is a Leg Cramp?

A leg cramp is basically an involuntary contraction of a muscle. It can be an agonizing pain. When a muscle contracts or spasms and a knot forms in the hamstring, quadriceps, foot or calf this is a leg cramp also known as a Charlie horse. This can last for only a few seconds or up to an agonizing 15 to 20 minutes.

What Causes Leg Cramps?

The most common cause of leg cramps is dehydration and electrolyte imbalance. You are missing important elements that allow your body to function properly. Basic elements that can cause leg cramps when they are deficient in the body are potassium, magnesium, sodium and chloride. These are the elements we lose through sweat.

How to Prevent Leg Cramps

To prevent leg cramps you should stretch routinely to help relax the fibers in your muscles. Always warm up your muscles prior to beginning a workout or jogging. Even if you simply plan a walk around the block, do a few stretches and warm your muscles first, cold muscles cramp easily.

To prevent leg cramps you need to stay hydrated. This means drinking plenty of fluids before, during and even after exercise. There are sports drinks on the market that can replenish electrolytes that may be lost during workouts, but do not overuse these as too much of these elements can be harmful. Believe it or not but drinking pickle juice is equivalent to those expensive sports drinks for electrolyte replacement.

To prevent leg cramps eat a healthy nutritious diet. If you have frequent leg cramps you may want to talk to your doctor or a nutritionist to help plan a diet that will benefit you. You need to have the correct amounts of electrolytes, vitamins and minerals in your daily diet. When you plan to have more physical activity than normal you will need to increase your electrolytes and fluid intake prior to working out. Also remember to replace those you use during your workout.

If a leg cramp does occur even after you have done all you can to prevent leg cramps you need to gently massage it out. Once the cramp has relaxed, soak in a hot bath and stretch the muscle gently.Leg cramps can be very painful and severe. If you have made the lifestyle changes recommended to stop them without success you will need to talk to your doctor so he can determine if there is an underlying medical condition responsible for your leg cramps.

Health & Diet

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Ultimate 30's Workout

Increase the amount of testosterone and growth hormone your body produces by working multiple muscle groups and keeping rest periods short. For cardio, your lactate threshold can still be increased throughout your thirties, so intervals are king to counter any loss of lung power.

Ultimate 40's Workout

Short, sharp shocks are the way to fire up your body in your middle years - which means you can forget long-winded weights workouts. Vary exercises, intensity and timings to keep your muscles guessing.

Ultimate 50's Workout

You may not be able to lift the heaviest weight, but that's okay. Instead, stretching and yoga should be part of your training, and body-weight moves can replace heavy workouts. Do three sets of 10 reps of the following exercises to protect your joints and maintain muscle mass and testosterone.